Review: When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein

When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided both an audio and ebook ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was supposed to be a grumpy-sunshine romcom, but I didn't find the male lead to be very grumpy or the female lead to be very sunshiny. I found them both to be very immature average people. The characters are in their 30s however they act and speak as though they are much younger than that. I don't know if the British humor missed the mark with me or what but I also didn't find it to be as hilarious as promised either.

I feel that the main characters are supposed to be a take on Ted Lasso's Roy Kent and Keeley Jones. I loved Ted Lasso, and Roy is one of my favorite grumps, he reminds me of my own husband with his gruff take no prisoners attitude. Keeley is the epitome of sunshine with her bright, fun wardrobe and wacky personality. The reason they work as a couple is at heart of it they are both kind and care about the people they really let get to know them. Mabel is our Keeley in this story, but instead of a model she is a quirky, curvy writer with self-confidence problems. She constantly worries what other people think about her and what their opinions of her are. She doesn't feel worthy of love and affection from anyone. I'm not a fan of the self-depreciation trope and the constant inner monologues she has with herself about how unworthy she is. She’s a bit of a contradiction. Our Roy is played by Alfie, who was more of a mash up of Roy and Jamie Tartt. He damaged, and is terrible with people and emotions, but he knows what he likes. What he likes isn't what the public expects of him and he's gotten pretty good at putting on a show and hiding the real Alfie. Hanging out with Mabel working on his memoir, brings him out of his shell a bit and he gets more confident about letting the world see who he really is now that he’s retired.

If you haven't seen Ted Lasso, you probably have no idea what I’m talking about. It’s a great show!

Anyway...this book had so much potential, but it missed the mark for me. Both characters had such good back stories to explore that brought them a kinship when it came to their issues with emotions and affection. This topic was kind of glossed over. I think this was a missed opportunity for them to really connect on more than a superficial level. They never talk about the things they need to talk about, and good communication is something I look forward to in a romance. These two failed at good communication. The writing style felt all over the place and I often felt like I missed something. This felt like more of a stream of consciousness style of writing with much of it told from Mabel’s perspective, and I'm not the biggest fan of that style. It felt like the characters were rambling and not making much sense at times. The dialogue between them is dare I say cringey. I love good banter between characters, but I didn’t feel the chemistry between the two and I didn’t understand the humor. Again, it felt very immature to me. This has quite a few steamy scenes, which I'm no stranger to; however the dirty talk was over the top in my opinion. I was not a fan of the choice of language used, but everyone has their thresholds when it comes to those types of scenes.

Overall I think this was supposed to be whimsical and quirky, but for me it fell more into the nonsensical zone. I didn't enjoy the writing style or the characters. I feel like had I been able to connect with Mabel I would have loved this. I think this had so much potential and perhaps it will hit the mark with other readers. As I mentioned at the beginning of the review, I don’t think I got the humor so perhaps someone who understands British humor will absolutely love this.
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Review: Through the Glen by Samantha Young

Through the Glen by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both the print and audio arc of this book via the author and Valentine PR, as always all opinions are my own.

The narrators were amazing!  Shane East is one of my favorite narrators and he does a wonderful job with Theo.  This is my first audio experience with Zara Hampton-Brown and she was perfect for Sarah.  Sarah starts out as a shy, almost mousey character and she really captures her transformation as she becomes more sure of herself and more confident as the book progresses.  Both of them are a wonderful pairing and they do a great job capturing the emotions in various scenes and voicing the other character in their respective chapters as well as the side characters throughout.  

As with all of the books in The Highlands Series, this reads as a standalone.  There are many repeat characters from the previous books in the series as well as the Adair Family Series, but as with all of the books in both series this is a companion novel and stands on its own.  this follows Sarah and Theo, who have graced the pages of prior books and they have finally gotten their own story.  Sarah has worked at Ardnoch for the Adair's as a housekeeper for several years, she is very shy and quiet.  Theo on the other hand is an outspoken aristocrat and a famous screenwriter and producer.  On Sarah's last day working at Ardnoch she approaches Theo in the hopes that he will partner with her on a business venture, but he quickly turns her down but he quickly regrets his decision. You see Theo has had writer's block for months and he's got nothing to spark his imagination.  Sarah on the other hand has handed him a new project that sparks his interest.  She has secretly been writing crime novels and they have been blowing up and she has been offered the chance to bring them to the screen.  She knows Theo can help her make the show really shine, so naturally she is disappointed when he turns her down.  She is equally surprised when he unexpectedly shows up at her cottage and offers to partner with her.  

Theo is a private person, and he doesn't easily let people in and get to know him.  He has been hurt by those who claimed to love him in the past.  Sarah has also been hurt by people in her past, which shows up in her writing.  Theo questions where her ideas come from in her novels, and she offers him insight in exchange for insight into his life.  As they get to know each other a kinship and bond forms between the two.  I really enjoyed the character development and chemistry between the two main characters.  Their relationship starts off slow as they get to know each other, but once things take off, things get very spicy and they stay spicy.  As they navigate their feelings for each other in their budding relationship, they also have to deal with a crazed fan who is imitating one of Theo's screenplays putting both of them in danger.

As with all of the books in the series, I really loved this.  The mix of romance, angst, and a little bit of suspense is a nice mix.  Each of the characters has some past trauma to deal with, but it also makes them stronger as individuals and as a couple in the end.  I'm looking forward to reading Jared and Allegra's story next due out in May.  They should be a fun couple!

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Review: Written in the Scars by Adriana Locke

Written in the Scars by Adriana Locke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was given an audio code for this book via the author and Valentine PR, however I had previously purchased copy of the ebook prior to listening to the audio version. As always all opinions expressed in my review are my own.

I've owned a copy of this for a while, but I'd been putting off reading this because I knew this was one of Addy's more emotional standalones. I have finally been in the right headspace to pick this up and the audiobook was a great way to enjoy this. Both of the narrators brought Tyler and Elin's emotion to the page in just the right way.

This follows Elin and Tyler in the wake of a heartbreaking split. They have loved each other since about 8th grade, but after a life altering accident at work leaves Tyler lost and feeling useless he begins to spiral. He feels like a burden and decides to take matters into his own hands and take a break. This of course shatters Elin's faith and trust in Tyler and their marriage. Elin is also suffering from some personal struggles, but because she no longer can trust him she keeps this information from Tyler when he comes back and tries to make amends and put the pieces of their relationship back together. They never stopped loving each other and they have to decide if their love is enough to rebuild and start over.

I liked that Elin and Tyler were already married and dealt with real marriage problems. While Elin's stubborn streak and desire to keep secrets from Ty as punishment went on a bit too long in my opinion, they eventually had the hard, grown up conversations that needed to be had. The author did a good job capturing how hard marriage can be at times and the panic you feel when your partner is in a harrowing situation. As they pick up the pieces things start to heat up between them so if you are looking for spice this doesn't disappoint.

Part of this are extremely emotional so have your tissues nearby. There are some painful discussions and situations that the characters go through. I put content warnings that may or not be spoilers at the end of my review.

Content warnings [infertility, miscarriage, death of a friend, discussion of drug use (hide spoiler)]

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Review: The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder by Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao

The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder by Robert I. Sutton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both the print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.  

This was great!  I deal with these situations in my day job every day.  We have situations where our executive team asks us to eliminate unnecessary processes and stop inviting 100 people to meetings that only need 5 people.  It is a very expensive meeting that could have been resolved with a 2 sentence email and resolved in about 5 minutes  What do we do instead?   We schedule a meeting to figure out how to schedule a meeting to figure out how to cut down the invitee list for the meeting we actually need to have.  My greatest hope is that the people causing the friction in companies actually read this.  Hopefully future friction fixers will read this and end up in positions of authority and be able to implement more efficient processes and make some of the changes the authors talk about in this book.  

The writing was relatable with examples of places where friction was eliminated to make companies more efficient and successful.  There were examples where patient care was improved and customer service was improved when friction aka the right stuff was improved and taken into account and the wrong stuff aka the stuff that doesn't add value and takes up time was eliminated.  I've experienced many of these types of situations first hand working on projects in my own career.  I think this is a great read if you are an up and coming professional or an aspiring leader.  As a individual contributor, these are all of the things I wish would change in the companies I've worked at and would like leadership to change.   

This book is a presentation of quite a few case studies.  There is alot of telling of friction filled situations and how friction fixers saved the day.  There isn't really a prescriptive checklist of how to make this work in your own industry or how to apply the examples to what you are doing today.    This books isn't going to make you a more effective leader overnight and solve all of your problems after you read it.  It will however make you think about places you can potentially look for friction and where you can look for efficiencies.  If you are a leader in an organization it will also perhaps give you some suggestions of who to talk to within your organization to get ideas of where the friction lies and how to make things work a little smoother for your employees and customers.

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RELEASE DAY LAUNCH: Head Over Heels by Karla Sorensen

 

HEAD OVER HEELS

Karla Sorensen

Release Date: January 24

FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED

There’s only one course of action when your dad wants you to marry a clammy-handed wimp to make one of his board members happy—you get yourself stuck in an elevator with a hot stranger and have the steamiest make-out session of your life. Years of etiquette lessons went out the window thanks to Cameron Wilder, who managed to unleash my hidden bad girl with naught but his talented mouth and deliciously rough hands.

Afterwards, he went back to his small-town life, and I marched home to inform my dad there would be no business-centric nuptials. As punishment, he shipped me off to Sisters, Oregon and demanded I turn a healthy profit on a not-so-healthy property.

You see where I’m going with this—the buttoned-up city girl stuck in a small town hires a local builder to help her … and he’s the hot stranger from the elevator. Turns out, I have a weakness for the broad-shouldered nice guy who’s not so nice behind closed doors. Keeping things professional gets harder the longer I’m in town, until the only lesson I have left to learn is how to keep both our hearts from getting broken.

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Meet Karla Sorensen:

Karla Sorensen is an Amazon top 20 bestselling author who refuses to read or write anything without a happily ever after. When she's not devouring historical romance or avoiding the laundry, you can find her watching football (British AND American), HGTV or listening to Enneagram podcasts so she can psychoanalyze everyone in her life, in no particular order of importance. With a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Grand Valley State University, she made her living in senior healthcare prior to writing full-time. Karla lives in Michigan with her husband, two boys and a big, shaggy rescue dog named Bear.

 

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Review: The Fury by Alex Michaelides

The Fury by Alex Michaelides
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley and Macmillan Audio, all opinions are my own.

The narrator was very good.  The pacing of the audiobook was excellent and the narrator does a good job voicing each one of the characters.  

This book was really interesting.  The pacing was good and I liked the way the story was told.  I was hesitant to pick this up as I haven't read The Silent Patient and I didn't love The Maidens. The cover kept calling to me and I'm so glad I took a chance on this.  I ended up really enjoying it!  This is going to be hard to review without giving spoilers, but I will do my best.

This was an interesting whydunit mystery.  It is told from the perspective of Elliot Chase, and as the story progresses you quickly realize he is a very unreliable narrator.  His tale of what happened that night on the Greek island owned by his best friend Lana, continues to morph and change as he tells his tale.  The way this is told is certainly unique.  The story is told in parts similar to a play, which after reading the book the structure makes more sense.  As each act unfolds we learn more about Elliot and more about what really happened or didn't happen on the island.  We get closer to finding out who the murderer is and what their motivations really were.  I feel like to say anything more would spoil the book.

This book isn't going to be for everyone.  The way this is told from Elliot's perspective and the way he tells the story is not going to appeal to every reader.  I actually enjoyed it, but it will not be to every reader's taste.  Unreliable narrators can be hit or miss for me, but it really worked well here and the author did a good job.  Because the story is told in parts, the timeline isn't straightforward or linear, I'm normally not a fan of that either but again it really works here and the author does a great job filling in the blanks and making it make sense.  This is something else that won't be to everyone's liking.

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Review: Head Over Heels by Karla Sorensen

Head Over Heels by Karla Sorensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Wildfire Marketing, all opinions are my own.

This is book 2 in The Wilder Family Series, however you can read it as a complete standalone.  This follows Cameron, one of the many Wilder siblings in a battle of wills with Ivy as he tries to break through her very thick walls and soften her sharp edges.  They were unexpectedly stuck in an elevator, and that chance meeting was one of the few times Ivy let someone see the real her.  Ivy was running from a wedding dress fitting after having a panic attack about her upcoming marriage that her father arranged because it was good for his business.  Cameron quickly calms her down with his down to earth, good natured charm which leads to a life changing kiss that Ivy wasn't expecting.  Ivy has had her entire life scripted and carefully curated by her father.  She has done everything he has asked to gain his approval and praise.   When she refuses to marry a family friend because it is a good business partnership, her father sends her away to a small town to "work on a project" as punishment for disobeying him.  She is naturally crushed, but when she arrives she is surprised that the builder on her project is none other than Cameron, the man who she made out with in the elevator.  

Ivy doesn't know how to interact with the people of Sisters, Oregon.  Everyone knows everyone, and they are genuinely friendly.  She is all business and doesn't understand relationships that aren't business transactions.  She certainly doesn't understand the Wilder family who joke and argue, but still love each other at the end of the day.  They don't want anything from her but her company, especially Cameron who despite being her opposite can't deny his attraction to her.  The more time they spend together the harder is it for Ivy to stay away from Cameron.  It is also hard for her to stay away from his welcoming family, who despite having their own troubles welcome her with open arms and show her that love doesn't need to be earned with straight As and profitable business deals and professionalism.  

This was an emotional rollercoaster.  Keep some tissues handy.  I'm going to be upfront and say that it took me a while to warm up to Ivy.  She was a bit unlikable in the beginning, but as the story develops we get to know and understand her.  She opens up about how she was raised and that she wasn't shown alot of love and affection growing up.  She doesn't people very well, but the more time she spends with Cameron and the Wilders, she is willing to try.  Cameron was a great balance to Ivy, he was patient and kind and went at her pace.  He gave her the time and space to figure out what she wanted and needed, and I appreciate that she eventually stood up to her father.  The character development in this was excellent! The side story with Sheila and Tim was heartbreaking.  We've met the Wilder parents in previous books, and have known about Tim's situation, but I have to admit I was not ready for it (this is where you need the tissues).  It was beautifully done, but still sad.  I don't often cry in books, but the family reunion prior to the fall festival and just afterward had me balling.  

Overall I loved this, and I love the series.  I love Karla's books and can't wait for more in the future.  If you are looking for an emotional romance with great characters, give this a read!

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Review: The Perfect Mistake by Olivia Hayle

The Perfect Mistake by Olivia Hayle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

While this is the second book in The Connovan Chronicles, it does read as a complete standalone. I do highly recommend reading Best Enemies Forever as well. It is where we first meet Isabel and Alec. That is also where we get to know Connie and Gabriel, so if you want to understand their backstory, you can do so there. Don't worry if you haven't read that one yet, you get all of the necessary information you need for the main characters in this installment and I feel you can read the in either order.

This follows Isabel, a professional ballerina who has been forced to take a hiatus from dancing due to an injury. Her best friend Connie suggests she take up nannying while she rehabs and figures out next steps. Connie also happens to know that her older brother desperately needs a nanny ASAP as his last nanny quit abruptly. Alec is CEO of a successful corporation and his kids have run off every nanny he has ever hired. With Connie's glowing recommendation, he agrees to hire Isabel, the only problem is he is 15 years her senior and extremely attracted to her. As Isabel settles into routines with the kids and they begin to warm to her, joy begins to return to the Connovan home. Isabel isn't afraid to advocate for the kids when they need Alec to change his routines, and she certainly isn't afraid to let him know that she reciprocates the attraction that is growing between them.

If you like an age gap, semi-slow burn romance, with a decent amount of spice give this one a read. Alec and Isabel have good chemistry, but Alec is slow to move on his feelings because of his desire to do what is best for everyone. He has a hard time breaking the habits he learned as a child and built over time when it comes to relationships. I'm never a fan of a main character (male or female) telling someone else what is best for them or how they will feel, Alec does a lot of that, instead owning up to his own feelings. It takes him a while to get there, but he eventually does get there. Isabel is no stranger to working hard and being patient for the things that she wants, she is willing to wait for Alec as he figures things out. I do appreciate that the talked through their issues, even if Alec was stubborn and not always listening. While this is a romance at the heart, there are some somber moments that deal with grief and loss, and both characters are finding their way back to happiness again both with each other and in life itself.

Overall, I really loved this. I am loving getting to know the Connovan family and I'm very much looking forward to Nate's book.

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Review: Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden

Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This was super cute. It has some somber and serious moments which are balanced out with sweeter moments and a bit of magic. This is what I consider a clean romance, which I really appreciated. While the book does focus on the romance it is so much more than that. This book is about self discovery, family dynamics, forgiveness, and finding magic in the world. Georgia goes on quite the journey to recovery her sense of taste, but she also discovers things about herself and her life for each taste she gains back. I thought the character development and the descriptions of the food and the locations were very well done.

This follows Georgia, an aspiring chef who is just about to get the big promotion to run her own restaurant in Paris, when everything goes sideways for her. She finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, her friends all knew about it, and to top it all of she has lost her sense of taste. She finds herself homeless, jobless, and a bit lost when she gets an email from her long lost mother whom she hasn't seen in 30 years. Her mentor tells her to get away from Paris for a while and let the dust settle and find her inspiration again. Georgia decides to reconnect with her mother and hopefully reignite the spark and inspiration she had for food and cooking. What she didn't plan for was falling for the handsome oysterman that lives next door in the process. Georgia finds herself asking lots of questions about her past and her future. In the end she has to decide where she wants to be and what will make her happy? Is it the being the chef at the fancy French restaurant in Paris, or is it being with the people she loves cooking what makes her happy?

Overall, I really enjoyed this. It had a nice mix of romance with a bit of family drama and self discovery. This does have a touch of magical realism, which worked well with Georgia's profession as a chef. I loved all the references to the food and cooking. If nothing else this book will make you hungry.

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Review: Principles of Emotion by Sara Read

Principles of Emotion by Sara Read
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a really interesting look into mental health, family dynamics, trauma, and women in STEM.  Meg is a brilliant mathematician, who's math abilities became apparent to her father at a very early age.  A mathematician in his own right, he made it clear that her worth was equal to her academic ability because she wasn't like other girls her age.  He also made it very clear that he was responsibly for all of her achievements.   Meg decided to leave academia to become a caretaker for her ailing grandmother where she meets Isaac, a carpenter who doesn't understand math but he understands Meg.  Isaac leaves to pursue a career in blacksmithing, while Meg works on solving an impossible math problem.  Years later they are reunited, and they both need each other to support them through some tough times.  Meg's father is trying to take credit for her life's work solving the impossible, and Isaac is in trouble with the law.  They are both struggling with very real trauma in their lives and don't have much of a support system in place as they deal with the stressors in their lives.  As they get to know each other again, they find it a bit easier to face life's problems with someone at their back.

I really enjoyed Isaac and Meg together.  Life is always easier when you've got someone in your corner.  Meg's family is horrible, except for her cousin Lizzie (she's great).  Meg has very real anxiety and panic attacks, which I think the author did a good job portraying those.  I appreciated that Meg was able to take charge of her situation and advocate for herself despite how uncomfortable it made her.  This isn't a super fun happy rom come like I expected.  It is kind of sad and bleak as Meg and Isaac deal with his legal troubles and she tries to get her intellectual property back and talks about math quite a bit.  There are some intimate scenes, but they are fairly fade to black.  

This book isn't going to be for everyone.  It is heavy on the math, and the romance is more on the sweet side than the spicy side.  This does cover some heavy topics, and I thought the author did a good job addressing them.

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Review: Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an Audio ARC of this book via Macmillan Audio and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was wonderful, one of my favorites in the series so far. I am a big fan of The Wayward Children series. I highly recommend reading Lost in the Moment and Found prior to reading this as this installment is more of a sequel to that particular story and really finishes up Antoinette's story. All of the other installments are more companion stories. I recommend starting at the beginning with this series so you get to know the characters and the quests that they've gone on as they are mentioned again in later installments.

This follows Antsy after she left her door and ended up at the School for Wayward Children, and our familiar cast of characters that I've grown to love so much finds themselves on yet another quest. Antsy puts her ability to find lost things to good use in this installment and we get to visit some really interesting worlds via the doors. We also get some insight and closure on some of the characters. I'm not sure how many more books are planned in the series, but it feels like things are starting to wrap up. I really love this series as a whole and I'm looking forward to the next installment and plan to reread the series from the beginning soon.

This was the first time I've enjoyed one of the installments via audiobook and I highly recommend it. The narrator did a fantastic job giving a voice to each of the many characters.

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Review: A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided both a digital and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a cute romantic fantasy set in a regency type of setting.  Niamh is a talented tailor and dressmaker, who is able to enchant the items she makes with emotions and memories.  She is one of the last of her line with her abilities, and her abilities have caught the eye of the aristocracy.  She is surprised and thrilled when the Prince Regent calls on her to make the wedding wardrobe for his younger brother Kit and his bride to be.  Determined to make a name for herself and support her family, Niamh is going to do her very best to make the young prince and his new wife look spectacular, unfortunately when she arrives the estate and city are not at all what she expected.  She is thrown into a city full of unrest, all while trying to fit the prince for wedding garments he is not thrilled about.  As she spends more time with Kit, she slowly peels back the layers of his unhappiness and a tentative friendship begins to blossom and eventually turn into something more.  As their relationship develops, so does their desire to fix what is broken in their country and help the Prince Regent see the light.

This was cute, but Kit and Niamh were a little too "woe as me" at times.   Both of them willing to sacrifice themselves at every turn "because it is their duty" and was a bit overdone throughout the book, especially since they were both fairly hypocritical about it.  I feel like the author had a real opportunity to talk about social issues here but only just touched the surface of the very real historic issues and the very real current issues with class, privilege, and race/heritage.  The social issues were glossed over for the sake of the other plot elements of which I felt there were too many.

I thought the audio narrator did a wonderful job with the narration of the book.  She did different voices and accents for the various characters which was important seeing as how their was civil unrest based on class and heritage/race.  I believe in this case this was a take on the disdain the English had for the Irish which was a very real issue.

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